Improved boot-jack



vUNITED STATES PATENT OEEICE.

M. A. RICHARDSON, OF SHERMAN, NEW YORK, ASSIGNOR TO HIMSELF y AND WILLIAM. H. KEELER, OF SAME PLAGE.

IMPROVED BOOT-JACK.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 43.626, dated July 19, 1864.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, M. A. RICHARDs0N,of Sherman, in the county of Chautauqua and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Boot-Jacks; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full. and exact description thereof, reference being had tothe accompanying drawings, making part of this specification.

Figure l is a vertical section of the wall of a room, showing my improved boot-jack applied thereto, and lowered in the position for use; Fig. 2, a plan of theboot-jack in the same position.

Like letters of referenceindicatccorresponding parts in both gures.

My improved boot-jack is intended to be jointed or hinged to the wall of a room, and held in an uprightposition by a suitable spring, but connected with a handle, by means of a strap or cord, in such a manner that when the handle is drawn out from the wall it will throw the bootjack down in such a position that the foot may beinserted in it for the purpose of removing the boot.

As represented in the drawings, A is the wall of a room, and B the wash or base board ofthe same. To the base-board, a little distance above the floor, is jointed or hinged an ordinary boot-jack, C, by any suitable means, that represented in the drawings being a shaft,

a, secured to the opposite. sides of the bootjack, and passing through a bearing, D, secured rigidly in place. lhus arranged it will be perceived that the bootjack may be turned up against the wall out of the way, as indicated by the red lines in Fig. 1. The bootjack is held up in this its normal position by means ot' a suitable spring that exerts a constant drawing force upon it upward. The spring may be arranged in any desired manner to produce this result; but I prefer a wire spring, E, coiled around the bearing D, as shown, with one endy secured to the boot-jack and the other to the bearing.

To the under or outer side of the boot-jack, at a suitable position, is attached the end of a strap or cord, Gr,the same passing 'around the bearing, and thence upward a suitable distance, where it is secured, as repiesented, to the side of a lever or handle, H, and its upper extremity attached to the wall atb, in

such a manner as to form a hinge. Instead of a hinge formed in this manner, one may be secured directly to the end of the lever itself.

By jointingvor securing the boot-jack to the wall, as described, the advantage of stability or ixedness is attained, for when one foot is inserted in the opening K of the jack it is only necessary just to apply the toe of the otherV foot to the outer extremity of the jack merely to hold it down. The jack cannot move laterally or become displaced in any way, and the great weight of the operator does not have to be applied to keep it in place, and thus the operation of removing the boot is easier, not only from the fact that the jack is fixed in position, but because the body can assume a natural and convenient position in drawing the boot, which cannot be the case when the person has to stand with his weight on the instrumentl to keep it down. In its normal position, when the boot-j ack is drawn or turned up against the wall by the action of the spring E, the strap or cord- G will be drawn up around the bearing D, thus lesseningits length between the jack and the lever H, and consequently also drawing the said lever down flat against the wall, as indicated by red lines, Fig. 1; but by merely seizing the lever and moving it out in 4the position of black lines,

the boot-jack will be correspondingly turned down, so as to be in the position for use. This arrangement is of great advantage, for when not in use it turns or adjusts itself against the wall out of the way, so that there will be no projecting parts to become broken or disarranged, or to interfere with ordinary work in a room.

In the outer angle of the opening K of the boot-jack, or in some other suitable position,

is secured a rubber block, c, or equivalent, which projects a little above the face of the jack, in such a manner that when the latter. is turned up the block will strike above and pre vent the bruising of the wall. y

In order to adapt the boot-jack to feet of diii'erent sizes in removing boots, I secure to the inner or toe end of the jack a button, d, which turns on a pivot in such a manner as to shut and project over the said opening K. It the foot is large, the button is not employed, but rests in the position indicated by the black lines in Fig. 2; but if the foot is small, so that it will not hold in so large an opening, the button is turned over the opening, as indicated by the red lines in the same figure, and the toe rest-s under it. By this means I am enabled to adapt the same instrument t0 mens or boys use, thus saving the expense of a double arrangement. I prefer to pivot the but-ton on one side of the center, or nearer one end thereof than the other, by which means the opposite ends have different degrees of projection over the opening K byturning in opposite directions.

What I claim as my invention, and desire t'o secure by Letters Patent, is-

Hinging the boot-jack C to the wall by means of a suitable joint, a, and retaining it in a raised position against the Wall by a reacting spring, E, the whole combined and operated substantially as and for the purpose herein set forth.

2. In combination with the hinged bootjack C and reacting spring E, the strap or cord G,and 1ever H, so arranged that said lever and boot-jack Will open and close automatically and correspondingly, substantially as herein specified.

3. In combination with the opening K of ,the boot-jack C, the button d, arranged and operating substantially as described.

In Witness whereof I have hereunto signed my name in the presence of two subscribing Witnesses.

M. A. RICHARDSON.

Vitnesses WILLIAM H. KEELER. CHARLES Uv. PALMER. 

